How to Make a Heart Cream Tart Cake

This delicious and gorgeous Heart Cream Tart Cake recipe includes a tutorial for how to make a cream tart along with a tart crust recipe and the perfect buttercream icing. Learn how to make any number or letter cake shape with this easy recipe.

What is a Cream Tart Cake?

A cream tart cake is a recent trend that is a fun and beautiful pastry creation to help celebrate a holiday, birthday, or any day! You can make portions of this recipe ahead of time and assemble after your tart crust is freshly baked.

This recipe includes a sweet and flaky tart crust topped with a sweet and creamy buttercream icing. Add the fresh strawberries, buttercream pearls, and lovely buttercream flowers and you have a show stopper, easy dessert recipe.

If you haven’t made buttercream flowers before, don’t miss my post how to make buttercream flowers.

How to Make a Cream Tart

I want to share a few key steps in creating your heart shape. These steps can be duplicated with numbers, letters and other shapes (be sure to catch my other designs linked below).

1. Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface.
2. Place your stencil or pattern on top of your dough and with a sharp knife cut your shape and remove excess dough. 
3. With a large offset spatula, carefully transfer your shape to a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake as directed.
4. Allow tart crust to completely cool before decorating. Be careful when transferring your dough because it can easily crack or break.
5. Apply your buttercream icing to both layers with a size 806 Tip. As you can see I used the inside of the larger heart to create extra tarts!
6. Carefully stack your two layers and prepare your toppings.
7. Create your butter cream roses with a regular sized 101 and 104 Tip. Allow roses to chill in the refrigerator for easier application to your tart.
8. Add your desired toppings and your heart cream tart cake is ready to enjoy!

Why You’ll Love a Cream Tart Cake 

• The tart crust is sweet and flaky, the perfect buttery crust!
• The buttercream icing is thick but easy to spread and create.
• You can complete some of the steps ahead of time.
• You can add additional toppings or change colors.

Ingredients to Make a Cream Tart Cake

Tart Crust:
Butter, softened
Powdered sugar
Flour

Buttercream Icing:
Butter
Powdered Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Lemon Juice
Salt

Variations

• You can make one for each of the holidays by switching up the shape and icing color.
• You can change the size easily by changing the size of your template.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this cream tart recipe for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day brunch, or a special birthday for someone you love.

Tips

• Create Valentine mini desserts with the leftover shapes from this recipe.
• Use fresh fruit, macarons, sugar decorations, pearls to dress up your cream tart.
• Save your leftover dough and icing for other fun projects (see below for instructions)
• Be sure to transfer your tart dough slowly to your serving dish to prevent cracking or breakage.

Shortcuts

• Make the buttercream icing ahead of time.
• Prepare your buttercream flowers in advance and store in the refrigerator for easier transfer to your tart.

How to Serve

• Serve your cream tart on a platter, a decorative plate, and a cake plate. Since you can make a larger sized heart, and mini heart desserts, you have endless options for serving your cream tart beautifully.

How to Store

• Room Temperature: This cream tart can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature. 
• Refrigerate: You can also store in an air tight container in the refrigerator, however you will want to allow the cream tart cake to reach room temperature before serving.
• Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this pastry. You can freeze the dough and the icing following the timeframe mentioned below.

What to Do with Leftover Icing and Tart Dough:

Depending on how many tarts you want to make, or how large your flowers are, you may end up with leftover dough or icing.

• You can save the buttercream icing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, and in the freezer for 3-4 months.
• You can save the scraps of your tart dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days or so, and in the freezer for up to 2 months.

More Pastry and Cream Tart Recipe Ideas

• Shamrock Cream Tart Recipe
• Easter Cream Tart Cake Recipe
• Mini Layer Cakes
• Cranberry Scones Recipe
• Peanut Butter Heart Cookies Recipe

Valentine’s Day is truly a favorite at my house. With just a little bit of effort, you can make someone feel special and loved! I remember fondly that my mom always made Valentine’s Day special, and it’s my goal to do the same for my family. I hope sharing festive recipes and entertaining ideas inspires you to do the same! 

You might also like these easy Valentine’s Day recipes including: Peanut Butter Heart Cookies Recipe, Valentines Day Charcuterie Board, and Cranberry Scones Recipe. Also, be sure to check out my dessert category for more easy dessert ideas!

Let’s keep in touch! You can find daily inspiration on Instagram,  Pinterest,  LIKEtoKNOW.it,  Facebook,  and my latest videos on YouTube. Also, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then drop me a rating above and comment below! 

Cream Tart Cake Recipe

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Yield: 16 Servings

Heart Cream Tart Cake

Print

This Heart Cream Tart Cake recipe includes a tutorial for how to make a cream tart cake along with a delicious tart crust recipe and the perfect buttercream icing. Learn how to make any number or letter cake shape with this cream tart recipe.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• TART CRUST:
• 170 grams softened unsalted butter (3/4 cup)
• 60 grams powdered sugar (1/2 cup)
• 180 grams flour (1 1/2 cup)
• BUTTERCREAM ICING:
• 227 grams unsalted butter (1 cup)
• 480 grams powdered sugar (4 cups)
• 5 ml vanilla extract (1 tsp)
• 5 ml lemon juice (1 tsp)
• 3 grams salt (1/2 tsp)
• Red gel food coloring

Instructions

1. TART CRUST:
2. Preheat Oven to 300 F
3. Make your tart crust by combining flour, powdered sugar, and butter. Mix until dough forms.
4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface.
5. Place your stencil or pattern on top of your dough and with a sharp knife cut your shape and remove excess dough.
6. Combine and roll out remaining dough and cut second heart.
7. With a large offset spatula, carefully transfer your shape to a baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. You can also use the inside of the larger heart to create extra tarts and any left over dough to cut smaller hearts.
9. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating half way for consistent browning.
10. Allow tart crust to completely cool before decorating. Be careful when transferring your dough because it can easily crack or break.
11. BUTTERCREAM ICING:
12. While tart crust is baking, combine butter, powdered sugar, and salt and mix until creamy.
13. Combine vanilla extract and lemon juice and add to mixture.
14. Mix together on medium until smooth and has a lighter texture.
15. Add desired gel color and place into piping bags.
16. ASSEMBLING YOUR HEART CREAM TART CAKE:
17. Apply your buttercream icing to both layers with a size 806 Cupcake Tip.
18. Carefully stack your two layers and prepare your toppings.
19. Create your butter cream roses with a regular sized 101 and 104 Tip. I made multiple sizes and shapes. Allow roses to chill in the refrigerator for easier application to your tart.
20. Add your desired toppings and your heart cream tart cake is ready to enjoy!

Notes

This can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator in an airtight container to preserve freshness.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 353Total Fat: 20.3gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 217mgCarbohydrates: 42.6gFiber: 0.3gSugar: 33.1gProtein: 1.4g

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